Tag Archive | Writing

A Golden Life .99 cent Promo!

I didn’t want any of you who follow my blog on a regular basis to miss out on the .99 cent promo for “A Golden Life!”

Starting today thru midnight on December 26th, you can purchase the e-book version on Amazon for this low price. I hope you’ll give it a read!

The story is set in the beautiful mountains of Gatlinburg, TN, but nothing about the plot is typical. It will take you on an unusual journey to say the least.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017Z6CREI

A Golden Life

Something magical is about to happen…

Traci Oliver may be a best-selling romance author, but for the first time in her writing career she can’t type a word on the blank page. Book number fifty is supposed to be her best ever—her golden book—but inspiration joined her husband in the grave. How can she write about love with a shattered heart?

At the precise moment of the anniversary of his death, a knock on her door changes everything.

When characters from her books take on human form and tell her that they’ve come to help her, she doubts her sanity. Are they real, or has she lost her mind?

Her doctor says grieving is a process, but she never dreamed that part of the process would bring her heroes to life. She wonders if all people experience this kind of thing, or is it a weird phenomenon reserved solely for romance writers? Truthfully, the only hero she wants in her life is her husband, and she can never be with him again.

Or maybe she can …

I’m Still Here!

Nov6

First, I beg forgiveness for being so absent lately! The good thing is that my lack of posting is due to flying fingers finishing up two manuscripts for publication this month.

I’ve already added these books on my book tab, so please check them out! “Consequences” is Book 2 in my Southern Secrets Saga. I appreciate all of the nice emails and messages I’ve received asking about its release. It thrills me to know that you all are enjoying this new series. The story is close to my heart. My very first baby!

Today is the anniversary of my writing journey. Five years ago I began typing my first manuscript. Much different from the plays and songs I’d written, but I found it to be my ‘thing.’ I’ve not stopped since.

My seventh release, “A Golden Life,” will be available soon. It’s currently being formatted. In this book, I truly bare my soul. I shed a lot of tears writing it, but even so, I don’t think I’ve ever had more fun writing a book. And saying fun in regard to this book is kind of odd, because it’s about death. It’s the story of a woman trying to cope with the loss of her husband. I think you’ll find it a bit surprising how she starts to heal. Yes, it’s a love story. A very different kind of love story.

If you’d like to receive my monthly newsletters, be sure to sign up by clicking the ‘newsletter’ tab at the top of the page. In my newsletter I reveal my covers and share release dates, etc. I also throw in a few personal tidbits!

And please, if you have any questions or comments, don’t hesitate to contact me! I’d love to hear from you!

Okay…back to writing. Southern Secrets Saga Book 3 coming soon…

Have an awesome day!

We Need Each Other

Sep15

I’ve had many jobs over the years. The one thing that stands out in every one of them is the people I’ve worked with. I can honestly say that I’ve adored 99% of them. We won’t talk about that 1%. Some of the jobs weren’t exactly what I wanted to do at the time, but I made the best of them. The people around me certainly helped!

Now that I’m a stay-at-home writer, I have little interaction with other people. I relate to the characters I’m writing and talk to them. It’s enjoyable, but it’s not the same. So I make a point of getting out and having real conversations with genuine people. If I spend more than two days at home locked away with my laptop, I get cranky. Unfortunately, my poor husband pays the price of my grumpiness when he comes home from work in the evening.

What I’ve determined from all this is that we need each other. That should be a given, but trust me on this…it slaps you in the face when you’re alone for hours on end. I love my career, but I’m a people person and need to have that interaction. Besides, if I stayed locked away forever, how would I get inspired for my stories?

I often have people joke with me and ask if I’m going to write about them. If I do, they’ll never know. I pick up traits and add them to my characters. What’s really fun is that if I have something that happens to me that really upsets me, I can write about it. Plot it into a story. It’s self-therapy!

I hope you enjoy what you do for a living. I read a statistic once that indicated a very small percentage of people actually like what they do. They only do it because they have to. They need the income. (Of course, we all need that!) It’s sad that people spend the majority of their day doing what they don’t want to do. It reminds me of something I was told as a child, “Sometimes you have to do things you don’t like.”

I’ve been in that position. But even when I was, I put a smile on my face and made the best of it. AND I kept striving to reach my ultimate goal and follow my dream. Achieving what I set out to do wouldn’t be so fulfilling if I didn’t have someone to share it with. On a typical day my dear husband gets bombarded with chatter when he comes home. Most of the time ‘un’ cranky chatter. I LOVE to write, but I’ve learned to break up my days with time out in the real world and time at home with my laptop. It’s made a tremendous difference!

WRITE ON!!

We need each other!

Goodreads Book Giveaway! Deceptions

Aug18

Goodreads Book Giveaway

I’m so excited to share my new release, “Deceptions.” This is the first book in the Southern Secrets Saga. I’ll be giving away four paperback copies, so be sure to click the link below and enter!

Here’s a little more about my book:

A little more than six years have passed since the end of the War Between the States, and life in Mobile, Alabama isn’t easy.

Claire Montgomery is twenty-five and unmarried. After years of listening to her mama’s caution regarding men, she’s determined to stay single. Until Dr. Andrew Fletcher arrives in her little town on the bay and she’s irresistibly smitten.

Andrew tends to the elite at Mobile City Hospital, but also cares for the poor Negroes in a less desirable part of the city. Despite criticism from the hospital administrator, he’s determined to stand by his principles and help anyone in need. Regardless of the color of their skin.

Their whirlwind romance is quickly followed by a wedding proposal. But Claire’s world crashes around her when she discovers a painful truth. With no choice but to run away, she leaves Mobile and soon realizes she’s carrying his child.

Every decision Claire makes changes the lives of those she loves. The secrets and deceptions she creates blur the line between lies and truth, until she can’t discern one from the other.

Deceptions

by Jeanne Hardt

Giveaway ends August 31, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Growing Older

Aug6

Growing up I often heard ‘older’ people make comments like:

“Every day is a blessing.”

“Every day above ground is a great, great day.”

“Enjoy being young, because it doesn’t last forever.”

And one of my favorites, “Just you wait…one day you won’t be so skinny.”

I think none of those truly sink in until a person reaches at least 50. Of course, ‘they’ say that 50 is the new 30. I kind of like that! As I get older, my body doesn’t like to work the way it used to. I get tired easier, and this last move proved to me I had muscles that hadn’t seen the light of day in some time.

I make a point to take good care of myself, eat right, and exercise, but no matter what I do, the clock keeps ticking. None of us can stop it, so why fight it? I wake up each morning thanking God for the new day, groan for a few seconds as I place my feet on the floor, then put a smile on my face and head for the coffee pot.

Yes, each day is a blessing and I’m using all my years of experience to write the best books I possibly can. I certainly relate better to ALL generations. It’s easier to understand every phase of life once you’ve reached it. In my mind, I’m only half-way through it. I figure I have lots more things to experience, and I’ll do my best to stay healthy so I can enjoy them. And though I’m not as skinny as I once was, that’s okay. I guess I’ll just use another one of those old sayings and quote, “There’s more of me to love.”

I once was a skinny teen!

Older and wiser!

Monica McCabe’s Debut Novel!

Jul10

Today I’d like to welcome a dear friend to my site … Monica McCabe!

Monica has a unique flair for writing stories filled with action, adventure, suspense, and romance. I told her once that her writing is like “Indiana Jones” meets “Romancing the Stone!”

Her debut novel, “Diamond Legacy,” was just released! It’s the first book in her Jewel series. I hope you’ll “give her a read!”

DIAMOND LEGACY

What happens when a dental zoologist flies to Botswana to give a rare albino hippo a root canal? She lands smack in the middle of a diamond smuggling ring and right in the way of an undercover agent for International Diamond Security—one who knows firsthand the horror of conflict diamonds. Determined to bring down the cartel, he accepts the veterinarian’s help. But when the past catches up to him and the stakes skyrocket, he must risk all to save her from an evil that has haunted him for fifteen years.

http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Legacy-Monica-McCabe-ebook/dp/B00ONTR8Y0/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/diamond-legacy-monica-mccabe/1120611660?ean=9781616507077

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/diamond-legacy

Author Bio…

Adventuring is in Monica McCabe’s blood. She’s addicted to travel, National Parks, & exploring new places and mysterious locales. She’s climbed glaciers and ancient Mayan pyramids, dived shipwrecks and reef caves, camped in Sasquatch country, and drove across the USA three times. When not traveling she’s writing romantic action adventure books, playing outdoors, or researching that next big trip. Diamond Legacy, her first romantic suspense novel, will be released July 7, 2015 under Lyrical Press / Kensington Publishing.

Social media accts:

Monica McCabe

www.monicamccabe.net

www.facebook.com/monica.McCabe

https://twitter.com/monicamccabe

What’s Your Taste?

Jun24

We all have the same five senses, but because we’re all different, so are our tastes.

A person who loves to listen to classical music likely won’t care for rap. And vice-versa. The same goes for visual art. A lover of Michelangelo may not care for Picasso.

Let’s not forget the taste buds. Kids normally don’t like broccoli, but will devour candy. I happen to like both! Of course, when I was a kid, I turned my nose up at the broccoli. Yes, tastes can change.

Just like with every other form of art, people have certain likes and dislikes in the books they choose to read. If you’ve been following my blog, then you know I’m an author. If you’ve thought about giving my books a try, I’m happy to say that the e-book version of “Marked” is on sale now on Amazon for .99 cents! This sale will only be going on for another few days, so be sure to download it soon. I hope you’ll find that my writing suits your tastes! To find out more about my other books, be sure to check out the books tab on the menu above.

Here’s the link for “Marked.”

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L4AHXEG

Thanks for stopping by!

Chasing the ‘WAS’ Monster

Jun18

I’ve been thinking about this post for some time now and kept asking myself if I’m qualified enough to write it. I decided that even if I haven’t fully learned how to wrangle this beast, I’m still going to pass on what I’ve learned.

Every time I release a new book, I hope it’s better than the last. Not saying that my first releases weren’t good, but I honestly believe that the more I write, the more I grow as an author.

So, what’s a WAS monster? If you’re a writer, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you. If you’re not a writer, then maybe I shouldn’t be telling you! I risk having you go back to my older books and look for ‘was.’ You’ll find it. Frequently. Was isn’t such a bad thing, (especially in dialog), but what I’ve learned is that it can be improved on. For the most part, taking was out of the equation brings more action to a sentence.

For instance, instead of saying: The man was walking down the street, I’d simplify it to: The man walked down the street. It goes from being passive to active. Simple, but effective.

And here’s the funny thing…once you start tackling this monster, you’ll find really creative ways to dig deeper into your character’s point of view.

I’ve been working on a rewrite of my first manuscript. I came to this ‘was’ sentence: When Reverend Brown announced their engagement and upcoming wedding, it was no surprise to the congregation.

Not a bad sentence, right? Well…when I looked at it, I thought, that’s kind of flat. Besides, this is an important part of the plot. I needed to make an improvement. That simple sentence became this:

When Reverend Brown announced their engagement and upcoming wedding, the congregation stirred with instant chatter. It didn’t surprise Claire. They’d expected it for some time. If they only knew the truth. Now that would create real chatter. The kind of gossip they’d love to share.

In my opinion, a HUGE improvement. I can’t tell you how much fun I’m having doing a ‘was’ word search. I believe that little trick alone will substantially improve my work. Let me know what you think!

I don’t care about ‘was’ I just want a cookie!

Cynthia Gail – Summer’s Family Affair

May11

Today I’m happy to welcome my friend, Cynthia Gail, to my blog! Cynthia is an author of contemporary romance and has just released the third book in the “Music City Hearts” series set in Nashville, TN.

All of her stories have their share of ‘steam,’ but what I love the most about this new book is that it deals with the complexities of adding children into the mix of a new relationship. Her hero is a widower with a young son. Not only does the heroine have to build a relationship with her new love interest, but also his son. Add in the former in-laws who are protective and feel no one can replace their daughter, and you have a truly interesting and realistic situation.

Here’s a little more info! If you love contemporary romance, you should read her books!

Jenny Cohen defines successful independence: she put herself through college, couldn’t ask for better friends, owns a consulting firm, wears designer clothes, and just moved into her dream home . . . But she’s alone, except for her ailing mother whom she supports in a nursing home. As the marketing consultant for Chester, Dorsey & Tanner, she’s surrounded by male attention. Too bad it’s the overly-protective big-brother type.

Architect, Craig Stone, hasn’t looked at another woman since his wife passed away four years ago. His time is taken—building a career while trying to be both mother and father to his eight-year-old son. But when his appointment with the largest development firm in Nashville is double-booked with a black-haired beauty, he finds himself reaching for new possibilities.

The attraction sets off more fireworks than the Fourth of July. Yet, their relationship is riddled with issues neither one of them expected. Somewhere in the middle they must find a way to compromise or let go of a chance for love they may never find again.

Website: http://cynthiagail.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CynthiaGailRomance

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CynthiaGailBook

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6564818.Cynthia_Gail

Amazon Author Central: http://www.amazon.com/Cynthia-Gail/e/B009WQTTQE/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1426743860&sr=8-1

Amazon buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Cynthia-Gail/e/B009WQTTQE/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1426743860&sr=8-1

Here’s a little more about Cynthia:

Bio:

My husband and I live in the suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee with our three dogs. When I’m not working or writing, I can be found with family and friends. I love to bake in the winter, grill in the summer, and on occasion, I sneak away from everyone and curl up with a good book.

Books #1 and #2 in the series:

Winter’s Magic http://amzn.to/1Gsi6OM

Spring’s Surprise http://amzn.to/1Np002k

Amazing Creativity!

Apr16

I’m constantly amazed at the ability of the human mind to create new and exciting works of art. Art in all forms. Whether it’s an artist with a paint brush, pencil, or their bare hands, or a writer of music and/or stories.

Everything starts with a vision. An idea that floats around in the brain until the person holding that thought has to let it out.

Throughout my life I’ve been surrounded by artists. People who are driven to set their creativity free. It’s incredible to watch!

My mom is an artist. For as long as I can remember she’s ‘created.’ While I was growing up she painted with oils, then a number of years later she took some classes doing water color and now does both. In addition, some of her creativity came out baking and decorating cakes. Watching her do those was really fun. Plus, there was always leftover frosting in the refrigerator. A great treat for any sugar-craving kid!

Mom is also a singer. She has a beautiful soprano voice. I have great memories of sitting beside her in church singing alto to her soprano. She’s always encouraged me to follow my dreams and use my abilities in any way I could. And since she’s still following my career, (and this blog!), I want to take this opportunity to say, “Thank you, Mom!”

Her example not only nourished my creativity, but taught me to encourage my son. His talent is drawing, and he’s been able to use his ability doing artwork for an on-line video game.

Parents should encourage the individual creativity in their children. It’s important to teach them how to be independent and make a living, but giving them an outlet to use their talents is just as important.

I belong to a writers group, Music City Romance Writers, and am surrounded by many talented writers. Talk about amazing! These authors are creating new stories and bringing to life a multitude of characters that will stay with you forever. I know that each of us hopes to one day write that particular book that will become the new ‘thing.’ And even if that doesn’t happen, we’re all thrilled that we have the opportunity to share our stories and have readers that embrace our characters.

I just heard on the news that we’ll soon be seeing clips from the new “Star Wars” movie. I’ll never forget sitting in a theater in Idaho watching the first movie. The ‘original’ “Star Wars.” (not episode 1) Darth Vader scared me to death just by breathing. And then years later there was the revelation that Vader was Luke’s father. How many of you remember gasping when that secret was revealed?

I can’t wait for the new movie! I’m ready.

These films started as visions by a writer who had a story in their heart that had to be told. Just like “Twilight” or “Harry Potter” or “The Hunger Games.” All of these dreams became books and later, movies. But they all started by an inspired thought.

I hope that if you’re inspired, you’ll follow your heart and mind and do something with that inspiration. Put it on paper, or canvas, or bake a cake that will amaze someone’s eyes and taste buds. And yes, if you’re a baker, it can’t just look good, it has to taste good, too!

Or … dance! Another favorite of mine. An art form unlike any other I’ve mentioned. I’m a big fan of “Dancing with the Stars.” I also used to watch “So You Think You can Dance.” I love to dance but my body doesn’t move like it used to! Still, I can watch and admire those who have the ability.

Thank you for following my blog! And now I need to go and see where my mind will take me today. Time to go down another road not yet traveled. Hope to see you there!

One of Mom’s cakes!